You’re pregnant, and chances are friends have told you that varicose veins will soon start climbing up your legs – and there’s nothing you can do about it.

Your friends are wrong. You might get varicose and spider veins during your pregnancy, but there are steps you can take to prevent them, minimize them and recover quickly when your baby is born.

First, let’s discuss the cause of varicose veins during pregnancy

Your blood supply increases dramatically when you get pregnant, which increases the pressure within your circulatory system. At the same time, an increase in the hormone progesterone works to relax your vein walls. You’ll be gaining weight, of course, and for some people that also contributes to the formation of varicose veins. In addition, as your uterus grows, it bumps against a large vein on the right side of your body called the inferior vena cava. When that gets squeezed, it increases the pressure in your leg veins.

The where and what of varicose veins during pregnancy

You will probably first notice the veins in your legs bulging and turning blue or purple. They may cause no discomfort, or you might find your legs feel achy and heavy. The skin around the vein might throb, itch or give you a burning sensation.

Varicose veins can appear in other places, too. If they grow around your anus, they are called hemorrhoids. They might also appear in your vulva and cause discomfort. A form called spider veins are very small blood vessels near the surface of the skin. They show up most often in your legs, ankles and face. They don’t hurt and you can expect them to disappear after the baby is born.

These tips will help Pregnancy & Varicose Veins

Discuss your family history with your doctor. Varicose veins and a related but rare condition called deep vein thrombosis, which leads to blood clots, are often inherited. If you know that a relative had these issues during pregnancy, your doctor can plan accordingly.